SAN JOSE, CA — “Here we go again.”

It was the collective thought nearly every Arizona fan had when the Wildcats went into halftime of their Elite Eight matchup against Purdue down seven points. One of the best teams in program history was on the verge of a familiar result that had plagued the program for 25 years: falling short of the Final Four.

Athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois was nervous. Mix Master Mike was sweating. Families were stressed.

But while Bear Down nation was anxious, all was calm inside the Wildcats locker room.

Everyone rushed in, awaiting to hear what coach Tommy Lloyd would say to flip the script. The inspirational pep talk made for cinema.

But he didn’t have anything to say.

Instead, he turned the attention to his players. Let them figure out what they need to do to change course.

That conversation changed the entire narrative of Arizona basketball.

The rallying of the Wildcats was the secret ingredient needed to get over the hump, propelling Arizona to a thunderous second half that turned the tension into elation, ending years of misery with the program’s first Final Four trip since 2001.

When Lloyd left the microphone open, it was the veterans that grabbed it.

Jaden Bradley, Tobe Awaka, Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas, all players that had experienced the shortcomings and were set on making sure the talented freshmen accompanying them wouldn’t suffer the same fate.

“They all talked to us and just told us to keep going. You know, we’ve been through adversity this season,” said freshman Koa Peat. “Can’t get too high or too low. Just stay even-keeled.”

Lloyd and the coaching staff just listened, and couldn’t be prouder how the veterans addressed the situation. It was something he’d done a few times during the regular season, but the situation absolutely called for it, because they needed to figure it out.

“The most powerful thing in a team sport is a player-led program. The coach, you have to help them navigate it, but when you can get the players to kind of own these moments, you are just so much better,” he said.

By the time the players said their piece, the confidence in the room was beaming. This team was ready to get back on the court. Lloyd had one last message for them.

“Let’s go kick their ass,” Lloyd said.

They did.

It was a literal tale of two halves as Arizona suffocated Purdue in the final 20 minutes, turning the SAP Center into McKale Center West, the pro-Wildcats crowd rocking the entire arena.

Arizona needed just five minutes to turn a seven-point deficit into a lead it would hold onto the rest of the way, leading by as much as 15 points late to stop any thoughts of a Boilermakers comeback.

The shots were going in, 3-pointers were falling, and the Wildcats got to the foul line just like they wanted to.

But really, the story was the defense.

Purdue got a halftime lead thanks to seven 3-pointers, but the perimeter was closed in the second half. It missed its next seven attempts, only making one 3-pointer, coming with eight seconds left when Arizona was already celebrating. 

In fact, Purdue’s shooting was just off. It shot 32.1% in the second half, making just nine shots, just above the seven free throws it made in the same time frame.

The Boilermakers were exceptional at taking care of the ball, with the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the country at 2.22. Arizona forced turnovers, with Purdue turning it over 11 times, resulting in 15 Arizona points that only added to the pressure.

Arizona took Purdue out completely, resulting in a 22-point advantage in the last 20 minutes.

“We had a couple of turnovers here and there, and then obviously missed shots. Then we weren’t able to get a couple of stops,” said Purdue guard Braden Smith. “Obviously, credit to Arizona. They’re an unbelievable team.”

An unbelievable team that pulled off a result that was starting to seem unachievable.

Arizona has had so many good squads this century that were capable of reaching the Final Four, but it felt like some sort of hex prevented the Wildcats from getting there. Since 2010, Arizona has the fourth-most wins in Division I … but was the only program in the top five that had not made a Final Four.

That’s why, when the buzzer officially sounded, there was a collective exhale that was 25 years in the making.

“I am speechless,” Reed-Francois told USA TODAY Sports. “Just feels like a sense of joy. It’s just pure joy, and look at all these people around here that are just so excited.”

A joy that Lloyd and company can’t wait to soak in; there likely will be quite the crowd awaiting the team when it lands back at Tucson International Airport.

“Making it to the Final Four is big,” Bradley said. “We appreciate Tucson, the supporters and everybody behind the scenes. We just are happy that we get to reward them with this.”

After dominating the regular season and West Region, Arizona has proven this isn’t the same old Arizona. It’s no longer a team that chokes in the tournament.

It’s a national power again. And a team not just satisfied with breaking the Final Four drought, but out to win the program’s second national title, and first since 1997.

That’s thanks to a halftime conversation that changed everything for the Wildcats.

“We’re still fighting, and we’re still fighting to get better and see if we can get a little bit better before next Saturday,” Lloyd said.

It looks like we’ll have a head-to-head battle in Sunday’s final round of the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

Third-round leader Gary Woodland has a one-stroke advantage over Nicolai Hojgaard, but both golfers are at least five shots clear of the rest of the field at Memorial Park Golf Course outside Houston.

Woodland starts the day at 18 under par, Hojgaard is at 17 under and the other member of the final group, Min Woo Lee, begins the day tied for third at 12 under.

In addition to the drama at the top, others further down the leaderboard will also have plenty at stake today. Any players who make it into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking through their finish this week will automatically qualify for the 2026 Masters. Woodland or Hojgaard would also earn a Masters invite by winning the tournament.

LIVE SCOREBOARD: Texas Children’s Houston Open

How to watch Sunday’s final round of the Houston Open

The final round of the Texas Children’s Houston Open is underway from Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas.

• ESPN+: 8:15 a.m.-6 p.m. ET
• Golf Channel: 1-3 p.m. ET
• NBC/Peacock: 3-6 p.m. ET
• Listen on SiriusXM: 1-6 p.m. ET

Houston Open purse, payouts

The PGA Tour’s Texas Children’s Houston Open has a total purse of $9.9 million, with $1.782 million going to the winner. Here is how the payout for each position breaks down:

• 1: $1,782,000
• 2: $1,079,100
• 3: $683,100
• 4: $485,100
• 5: $405,900
• 6: $358,875
• 7: $334,125
• 8: $309,375
• 9: $289,575
• 10: $269,775
• 11: $249,975
• 12: $230,175
• 13: $210,375
• 14: $190,575
• 15: $180,675
• 16: $170,775
• 17: $160,875
• 18: $150,975
• 19: $141,075
• 20: $131,175
• 21: $121,275
• 22: $111,375
• 23: $103,455
• 24: $95,535
• 25: $87,615
• 26: $79,695
• 27: $76,725
• 28: $73,755
• 29: $70,785
• 30: $67,815
• 31: $64,845
• 32: $61,875
• 33: $58,905
• 34: $56,430
• 35: $53,955
• 36: $51,480
• 37: $49,005
• 38: $47,025
• 39: $45,045
• 40: $43,065
• 41: $41,085
• 42: $39,105
• 43: $37,125
• 44: $35,145
• 45: $33,165
• 46: $31,185
• 47: $29,205
• 48: $27,621
• 49: $26,235
• 50: $25,443
• 51: $24,849
• 52: $24,255
• 53: $23,859
• 54: $23,463
• 55: $23,265
• 56: $23,067
• 57: $22,869
• 58: $22,671
• 59: $22,473
• 60: $22,275
• 61: $22,077
• 62: $21,879
• 63: $21,681
• 64: $21,483
• 65: $21,285

Floyd Mayweather still has plans to spend time in the ring in the coming months, but whether he will actually get in the ring for a rematch with Manny Pacquiao appears questionable.

Mayweather told Vegas Sports Today that a future fight with Pacquiao would not be sanctioned.

“As of right now, we don’t know exactly where the fight is going to be at,” Mayweather said about the fight with Pacquiao. “We don’t know the location of the fight. The Sphere is one of the places that they talked about.

“We don’t know if it’s a hundred percent going to be there. And this is not actually a fight, it’s an exhibition.”

Mayweather’s comments contradict Netflix’s announcement from late February stating that the fight between the two boxers would take place on Sept. 19 at the Sphere in Vegas.

“It’s an exhibition, so we’re both winners,” Mayweather said about the rematch. “I mean, we just want to go out there and entertain the people and put on a good show.”

Mayweather had his last professional fight against Conor McGregor in August 2017. The veteran boxer has competed in several exhibition matches since then.

Pacquiao was also retired before returning for a sanctioned pro fight against Mario Barrios last summer.

While Mayweather-Pacquiao 2 could be in jeopardy, Mayweather did not shy away from a potential exhibition fight with Mike Tyson, which was announced last year, and one with kickboxer Mike Zabidis that is set for June in Greece.

And then there were eight.

The 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament field was cut in half by Saturday evening following blowout losses, a buzzer-beating game-winner and many revenge matchups in the Sweet 16 round, which was held across two regionals in Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, California. (Much to UConn coach Geno Auriemma’s chagrin. More on that later.)

No game was more thrilling than No. 3 Duke’s walk-off victory over No. 2 LSU on Friday. Despite having a rough night from beyond the arc (1-of-7), Duke head coach Kara Lawson called on Ashlon Jackson to take the last shot of the game and she didn’t miss.

Jackson tops USA TODAY Sports’ list of winners from the Sweet 16, while Auriemma’s rant about the setup for the Women’s NCAA Tournament regional games lands the NCAA on our list of losers.

Winners

Duke guard Ashlon Jackson

Ashlon Jackson got her March moment. The senior knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer on No. 2 LSU to punch Duke’s ticket to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season.

LSU had a 85-84 lead over Duke in the Sweet 16 round of the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament with nine seconds remaining in the game. Duke senior guard Taina Mair missed a go-ahead 3-pointer, but the Blue Devils came away with the offensive rebound with two seconds remaining to give Duke the final look at the basket.

Duke’ junior forward Jordan Wood inbounded the ball to senior guard Ashlon Jackson. She sidestepped an airborne Flau’Jae Johnson and launched a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in front of her own bench. The ball nearly rimmed out of the basket, before it twirled around the rim and ultimately dropped in to give Duke a 87-85 victory over LSU.

Jackson said Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant reached out following the shot. 

Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey

Back in January, critics put Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey on the hot seat after the Fighting Irish lost six of nine games, including to Georgia Tech and Cal, and a blowout defeat dealt by UConn. They questioned her roster construction and coaching strategies and wondered whether Notre Dame would make the NCAA Tournament.

Notre Dame is 12-2 since that loss to Cal and will get a second crack at the Huskies on Sunday after pulling off an upset over No. 2 Vanderbilt. Powered by Hannah Hidalgo’s triple-double, the Irish are in the Elite Eight for the first time in Ivey’s six-season tenure. Many talented players, including TCU’s Olivia Miles, left Notre Dame last offseason. Ivey & Co. got over the Sweet 16 hump without them. Considering the circumstances, the Irish’s finish to this season is looking like her best coaching job ever.

Texas coach Vic Schaefer’s jacket

Texas coach Vic Schaefer nearly always has on a jacket when he’s coaching and more often than not, he sheds the coat during the game. Inevitably, Schaeffer will get hotter than the Texas sun about a call or something else he doesn’t like and off it goes.

Texas was up by more than 20 points in the first quarter during its Sweet 16 matchup against Kentucky, and Schaefer surprisingly kept it on. Not only did it stay on, he never reached to take it off despite his face turning red as he yelled from the sideline. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, and the Longhorns were up 63-42, the jacket appeared to be safe from removal.

As Schaefer would say, “Praise the Lord, and Hook ‘em, Horns.”

TCU’s dynamic duo

Olivia Miles and Marta Suarez combined for 61 of TCU’s 79 points in the Horned Frogs’ Sweet 16 win over Virginia on Saturday. Suarez’s 33 points marked a career-high and she finished with 10 rebounds. Miles 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the win. It marked the fourth time this season both Suarez and Miles each recorded a double-double. Both Suarez and Miles advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in their respective careers.

“I’m finally out of the Sweet 16,” Miles said. “I’m so happy about that.”

Texas’ two step

Speaking of dynamic duos, Texas’ Madison Booker and Rori Harmon improved to 80-7 all-time in games they played together. Talk about a streak.

Losers

People who doubted Duke

A whole lot of folks counted Duke out in December when the Blue Devils lost to LSU by double figures at home, bringing their non-conference record to 3-6. Kara Lawson’s team didn’t look like the one that took South Carolina to the brink in last season’s Elite Eight, or the one that was voted as the preseason favorite to win the ACC.

But Lawson made a few tweaks and Duke broke off a 17-game winning streak, won the ACC’s regular season and tournament titles, and on Friday night avenged that loss to LSU thanks to Ashlon Jackson’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the Sweet 16. Now, Duke is in the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season and continues to carry the torch for the ACC. 

The NCAA

The winningest coach in the history of women’s college basketball, UConn’s Geno Auriemma, took a flamethrower to the NCAA on Saturday morning on multiple fronts. He criticized the NCAA’s decision to install new rims and bring in new balls for the regionals, which he said led to poor 3-point shooting in the Sweet 16.

Auriemma has also been a vocal opponent of the NCAA’s decision to move from four regional sites to two, which began with the 2023 Women’s NCAA Tournament. Auriemma’s argument is cramming eight teams into a site instead of four creates a bad experience for the players, as they have to show up to the arena twice on off days, once for media and another for practice. Shoot-around on game days has also been early in the morning. Auriemma also pointed out attendance seems to be down this year at the regionals, as Texas is the only team playing close to home in Fort Worth.

“Does anybody who makes these decisions ever ask the coaches and the players, ‘Hey, does this work? Do you guys do this during the regular season? Is this normal?’” Auriemma rhetorically asked. “I just don’t understand some of the decisions that are made about our game when we’re trying to grow the goddamn game.

“There is a level of frustration right now among the coaches that’s higher than any time I’ve ever seen it.”

Louisville

Louisville had Michigan on its heels in the first quarter and couldn’t capitalize on the momentum. Michigan’s three stars, Olivia Olson, Syla Swords and Mila Holloway were a combined 0-for-6 to open the matchup, and Louisville couldn’t keep its foot on the gas.

Multiple starters failed to score to keep up with the Wolverines and it went downhill quickly. Mckinley Randolph’s first basket came in the third quarter and Laura Ziegler was scoreless until she sank a triple late in the fourth quarter. That’s not ideal.

Once Louisville’s offense couldn’t keep up, the defense eventually faltered and Michigan’s lead ballooned to 23 points twice.

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t our best day by any means. I thought in the first quarter we came out. We executed. We defended extremely well,” Louisville head coach Jeff Walz said postgame after a 71-52 loss. “Then uncharacteristically we missed a lot of wide open shots. Instead of being a 15-9, it could have been 20-9,”

“It wasn’t our day. I mean, there’s not much to say about it. Michigan did some really nice things, but we also missed a lot of open shots. At this time of the year you’ve got to be able to knock down open shots. Unfortunately, we struggled in doing that.”

LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson

Johnson’s college career ended in heartbreaking fashion following Duke’s buzzer-beating win in the Sweet 16. The loss snapped Johnson’s streak of Elite Eight appearances. She made it to the Elite Eight in the first three seasons of her career and won a national title with LSU her freshman season in 2023.

“She was the first McDonald’s we signed at LSU before we ever won a championship,” LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said. “She was freshman of the year in the SEC. She has two careers that she’s doing every day of her life. She spent four years at the same institution. The list goes on.

“So much appreciation to her for being who she is. She has a joyous spirit about her and she helped us win many ball games.”

Whoever made up those Kim Mulkey retirement rumors

Mulkey officially shut down retirement rumors that have swirled during the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament.

“I’m not retiring, do I look that bad? I don’t know where that came from. I am only 63 and I’m healthy with a few stents in my heart. My doctor says I’m good to go,” Mulkey said Friday evening, calling the speculation a “flat-out lie” that was manufactured to disrupt her recruiting.

She continued, “I think as we get older as coaches, they want to say, well, how much longer is she going to be in the game? I’m going to be in this game unless LSU fires me until I can’t put a product on that floor that’s competitive or my health fails me.”

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.

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HOUSTON – Keaton Wagler’s eyes flirted with the rim and his feet appeared to follow suit. The Illinois freshman guard dribbled past the 3-point line and suddenly spun to his left, sending his defender stumbling backward as if propelled by an invisible force.

Iowa guard Isaia Howard scrambled to his feet, but by then Wagler was launching a stepback 3-pointer that gave Illinois a second-half lead.

That misdirection is part of Wagler’s magic: Just when you think you know what to expect, he shapeshifts.  

For the entire second half of Saturday’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight game, Wagler traded buckets with Iowa star Bennett Stirtz — the Hawkeyes’ well-traveled veteran leader and the Illini’s star freshman, both players who were once undervalued during their basketball careers, delivering for their teams in an Elite Eight throwdown.  

In the end, Wagler won the duel. Behind his 25 points, Illinois downed Iowa, 71-59, and advanced to the program’s first Final Four in 21 years. Wagler was named the South Region’s Most Outstanding Player.

Following an inefficient shooting night in Illinois’ Sweet 16 win over Houston, in which Wagler shot 4-of-14 from the floor but grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds, he transformed back into a scoring machine down the stretch against Iowa.

Illinois outscored Iowa in the second half 43-27 and held the Hawkeyes scoreless for the final two minutes, with Wagler scoring 14 points in the second half alone.

“Once he finds his rhythm, it’s like a flow state,” said Illinois assistant coach Tyler Underwood. “You can always tell when he’s starting to get into it. It takes him a little bit of time but he just has a unique ability to be in the present moment and be able to live with mistakes and live with the outcome because he knows he’s loved, and he knows how hard he works.”

The telltale signs Wagler is about to go off, according to Underwood: Wagler starts patting the ball, getting to his left-to-right crossover, spinning around defenders. Everything he does becomes a little peppier, injected with an intangible yet immediately identifiable swag.

“It just feels like the game is slowing down for me,” Wagler said. “Just everything’s going right, every pass, getting to the rim, finishing, all that stuff.”

The game’s second half, then, must have felt to him like an eternity. As the last few seconds melted away, Wagler dribbled out the clock and raised one hand to beckon cheers from the crowd. That moment was his to savor alone, and then he wasn’t alone any longer. When the sound of an air horn punctuated Wagler’s lifelong dream, he was wrapped in a bear hug by Illinois forward Ben Humrichous and then swarmed by elated teammates.

After the net was cut and a team photo snapped, Wagler weaved through the confetti-strewn court and finally reached the people he sought.

He embraced his mom, Jennifer, first. Then came his dad, Logan, older brother Landon and older sister Brooklyn. Finally, Keaton looked up and saw Victor Williams, his AAU basketball coach with VWBA Elite. Williams and Wagler’s family nurtured Keaton’s skill as well as his ambition.

“I know that they know that this is my dream,” Wagler said. “Every since I was a little kid I’ve always talked about this. To be in this position, to have them here and we’re going to the Final Four, it just means the world.”

His parents, who met while playing basketball at a community college in Kansas, knew their youngest son truly loved the game when he was in first grade and played on a team of third graders but was not dissuaded by being the youngest or one of the smallest.

“He couldn’t hardly get the ball up to the hoop, but he could do everything else,” Logan Wagler said. “I knew he would amount to something. I didn’t know it would lead him here, though.”

Neither did Illinois coach Brad Underwood and his staff. It was Underwood’s son, Tyler, an Illini assistant coach, who first identified Wagler as a prospect out of Shawnee, Kansas. Wagler had won two state championships with Shawnee Mission Northwest High School and was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2025, but according to Tyler Underwood some power-conference programs had reservations about Wagler’s smaller physique.

The first time Brad Underwood went to see Wagler play in person was after Illinois had already signed him. Wagler had scored 36 points in a game the night before, but with Underwood present he scored just two points. Nevertheless, Underwood was ecstatic when he left the gym and called his son.

“I said, ‘We just got an incredible talent,’” Brad Underwood recalled. “They blitzed him, they got it out of his hand, he made every right play, he was not selfish, he was not a pig, he wasn’t trying to force things. He just let the game come to him. Very, very mature as a senior in high school when you’re the guy. And he just played the game, and so I felt great about it. Did I know a 178-pound kid coming in was going to be this? I didn’t.”

When Wagler arrived at Illinois, he added 25 pounds of weight and worked on getting stronger. He was in the starting lineup right away but mostly in an off-ball role, with senior guard Kylan Boswell assuming the lion’s share of ball handling responsibilities.

In mid-January, Boswell broke his hand and was sidelined for several weeks. On Jan. 24, Wagler’s breakout game was a 46-point outburst that led Illinois to a road win at No. 4 Purdue — a Big Ten freshman scoring record with a school-record nine 3-pointers. That performance solidified Wagler’s self-confidence.

“The ascension happened so fast, and I think he showed himself, ‘I can do this,’” Underwood said. “And I think his teammates wanted that out of him. Like, I don’t think he gets here without his teammates’ encouragement.”

Illinois forward Zvonimir Ivisic, who transferred into the program this season from Arkansas, said his first impression of Wagler was of a player who was overlooked — and who let that fuel him.

“We all know what Keat’s capable of,” Ivisic said. “I was amazed. I didn’t hear a lot about him before, but when I see his playing style, how he handles the ball, how he handles himself, I was like, why a lot of people don’t talk about him enough? Everybody underestimated him. He’s a special player.”

Illinois forward David Mirkovic said that whether it’s a preseason scrimmage or a high-stakes NCAA Tournament game with a Final Four trip on the line, Wagler loves to compete.

“Keat looks like he enjoys every type of game,” Illinois forward David Mirkovic said. “Every type of basketball, every style. He just really whatever pass and challenge they offer him he always plays really good. He always adapts, adjusts to anything that’s in front of him. He’s such a big guy, really, most important player to us. When he adjusts like that we all follow him.”

Wagler relishes being called upon to deliver in big moments, but he won’t ever boast or describe himself with superlatives.

On Stirtz, he said, “He’s a really good player. We knew we had our hands full with him, so I just try to go out there and do what I do every game and if it’s for me to score the ball, then I’ll look to score the ball. But if I need to pass it, then do that. And tonight was more scoring so I just tried to do that.”

Wagler walked back to the locker room clutching his NCAA nameplate, which he said he intends to frame. As soon as he walked through the wooden double doors to the locker room, hands reached out from all sides to clap him on the back and offer handshakes. Wagler accepted and acknowledged each gesture with a nod or a high-five, all the while never breaking his stride.

He’s back to being just another kid with a basketball and a dream, until the next game, when he will become whatever Illinois needs him to be.

The Milwaukee Bucks have officially been eliminated from NBA playoff contention for the 2025-26 season.

The franchise had not missed the playoffs since the 2015-16 season but will now instead land in the NBA draft lottery.

Center Myles Turner and the Bucks fell to 29-44 on the season after losing 127-95 to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. Milwaukee is 11th in the Eastern Conference standings as of Saturday afternoon.

“It’s been disappointing, obviously,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “Since I’ve been here, I haven’t had a healthy stretch and it’s been your key guys. It’s been (Giannis Antetokounmpo). It’s been (former Bucks guard Damian Lillard). And you hope you can play through that, but we just haven’t had the ability.”

The Bucks waived Lillard before the season, and the team has been playing chunks of this season without Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo has not played since March 15, and the team has won just one of its last six games in the absence of its star player.

Rivers added that he believes his team is playing at a deficit with “only one quote-unquote star” while “every other team has two and three.”

The team made additions to the roster, acquiring Turner in the offseason, in an attempt to produce a winner, but the team continued to be plagued by injuries this season.

“We needed health,” Rivers said. “We were thin. We knew that before the season started, and it just didn’t go our way. All the talk and all that stuff probably didn’t help, either.”

“The talk” was presumably alluding to Antetokounmpo’s future with the franchise. The team officially out of the playoff picture will only fuel more speculation about Antetokounmpo’s future with the team.

Bucks co-owner and governor Wes Edens told ESPN that the Bucks will likely pursue one of just two outcomes regarding Antetokounmpo this offseason: either the team will sign the star to another extension, or he will be traded. Antetokounmpo is eligible for a contract extension on Oct. 1.

Rivers has tried to see the silver linings this season, starting with some of the younger players on the roster, including Ryan Rollins, Pete Nance and Ousmane Dieng.

Rivers also credited Bobby Portis for his effort in a leadership role this season.

“He’s been a pro throughout this year,” Rivers said. “We had a great talk today about it before the game. I’m just so proud of him as a leader. He tries to do the right stuff.”

HOUSTON — The Illinois men’s basketball team was in the airport in Champaign, Illinois, preparing to board a flight to Houston for the NCAA Tournament regional, when Illini freshman forward David Mirkovic made a prescient purchase.

Mirkovic’s teammate, Keaton Wagler, sent him a link to an artificially generated photo of Mirkovic wearing a black cowboy hat. It was meant as a joke, but Mirkovic found a similar looking hat on Amazon and ordered it for $34. It was delivered to the Illini’s hotel in Houston on Friday, the day before Illinois played Iowa in the Elite Eight.

Mirkovic only intended to wear the hat if the Illini won. They did, 71-59, and after the team celebrated in the locker room by spraying each other with water guns – a program tradition that began two years ago in the NCAA Tournament – Mirkovic proudly donned his new headwear.

Asked if he felt like a cowboy, the Montenegro native paused and replied, “I don’t know. What does it mean, being a cowboy?”

He paused and reconsidered: “Yeah, why not. We’re in Texas.”

Mirkovic scored nine points and had a team-high 12 rebounds in Illinois’ Elite Eight win, coming just one point shy of his second consecutive double-double. He was still named to the South Regional All-Tournament team and his performance helped Illinois advance to the Final Four, where it will play either Duke or Connecticut.

None of Mirkovic’s Illini teammates joined him in buying cowboy hats, but he retained hope that he could start a new NCAA Tournament tradition.

“Maybe for next season,” he said, smiling.

SACARMENTO, CA — The Oklahoma women’s basketball team upset South Carolina in the regular season, but the Gamecocks got the last laugh in the Sweet 16. 

No. 1-seeded South Carolina defeated No. 4 Oklahoma 94-68 in a wire-to-wire victory in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament on Saturday, punching the Gamecocks’ ticket to their sixth consecutive Elite Eight appearance. 

The win was a total team effort for South Carolina, who had three players finish in double digits. Ta’Niya Latson led the way with a game-high 28 points in the first Sweet 16 appearance of her career, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the 3-point line. Raven Johnson finished with 18 points, Tessa Johnson added 14 points and Agot Makeer had 10 points off the bench.

The Gamecocks shot 51% from the field and 10-of-14 (71%) from the 3-point line, marking the team’s best performance from beyond the arc all season. 

Oklahoma freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez had 21 points in the losing effort.

USA TODAY Sports is providing live updates and highlights from Saturday’s matchup. Here’s all the highlights and score updates from South Carolina vs. Oklahoma’s Sweet 16 battle:

Madina Okot hits rebound milestone

South Carolina center Madina Okot has passed A’ja Wilson for second all-time on South Carolina’s single-season total rebounds list. Her 12 rebounds so far bring her total to 394, three more than Wilson. Okot’s inside presence has been a key factor in the Gamecocks’ dominant performance over Oklahoma and its star center Raegan Beers, who has eight rebounds. 

Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston holds the South Carolina women’s basketball single-season rebounding record of 447, set during the 2021-22 season. − Dylan Clearfield 

End of Q3: South Carolina 68, Oklahoma 49

South Carolina led by as many as 25 points and the Gamecocks carry a 19-point lead into the fourth quarter. Three South Carolina players are in double digits, led by 18 points each from Raven Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson. Tessa Johnson scored 11 of her 14 points in the third quarter.

Oklahoma started to find its offensive rhythm in the frame, but couldn’t put together stops to slow down South Carolina. Aaliyah Chavez has a team-high 14 points for the Sooners.

Tessa Johnson heats up in third quarter

The first half belonged to South Carolina guards Ta’Niya Latson and Raven Johnson, but the third quarter has belonged to Tessa Johnson, who scored nine of her 12 points in the first five minutes of the frame. Tessa Johnson is shooting 5-of-6 from the field including 2-of-2 from the 3-point line. South Carolina has a 62-38 lead over Oklahoma with 5:07 remaining.

Halftime: South Carolina 47, Oklahoma 28

South Carolina has a 19-point lead over Oklahoma heading into halftime. It may the first Sweet 16 appearance of Ta’Niya Latson’s career, but you would never be able to tell. Latson has a game-high 18 points.

Raven Johnson is on pace for a career night with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field including 2-of-3 from 3. Her career-high is 22 points against Louisiana State earlier this month on March 7.

South Carolina has held Oklahoma to 33% from the field and 2-of-9 from the 3-point line. No Oklahoma player has reached double digits in scoring.

Chloe Kitts wears Tessa Johnson hoodie

Gamecocks senior Chloe Kitts, who is out with an injury, made a subtle but meaningful statement on the sideline during South Carolina’s warmups, wearing a hoodie that reads “Who can guard Tessa?” What started as a viral line from LSU coach Kim Mulkey has quickly turned into a full-blown movement centered around Tessa Johnson. First appearing on a T-shirt, and now a cream hoodie, the outfit is small gesture that speaks volumes, turning an inside joke into a symbol of team unity. 

The Gamecocks, though, might need a new shirt after this game: “Who Can Guard Raven?” Raven Johnson already has 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting. − Erin Kirby

South Carolina winning rebound battle vs. Oklahoma

Oklahoma entered the game at second in the nation in rebounds per game (48.7). But midway through the second quarter, South Carolina is winning the rebound battle 18-12. Senior center Madina Okot leads the charge with seven boards. The Gamecocks rank 10th nationally in rebounds per game (42.3). − Dylan Clearfield

South Carolina goes on 5-0 run

South Carolina opened the second quarter against Oklahoma on a 5-0 run to extend its lead to a game-high 15 points.

End of Q1: South Carolina 23, Oklahoma 13

South Carolina got off to a hot start and led by as many 12 points in the first quarter. They have a double-digit lead heading into the second quarter. 

Raven Johnson (9) and Ta’Niya Latson (8) combined for 17 of South Carolina’s 23 first-quarter points. South Carolina is outrebounding Oklahoma 17-7. Madina Okot is already up to seven rebounds. 

Aaliyah Chavez leads Oklahoma with seven points. The Sooners struggled to find their rhythm in the first quarter. They shot 32% from the field and 1-of-5 from the 3-point line. 

South Carolina goes on 10-0 run

The Sweet 16 battle between South Carolina and Oklahoma is underway at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Ta’Niya Latson got South Carolina on the board with a fading jumper and knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Gamecocks a 5-0 lead. A Raven Johnson layup and three made free throws from Latson stretched South Carolina’s lead to 10-0 with 7:22 left in the first quarter.

Oklahoma missed their first five field goals to open the game.

What time is South Carolina vs. Oklahoma Sweet 16 game?

The No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks will face off against the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners in the Sweet 16 round of the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament at 5:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 28 in Sacramento, California. 

• Date: Saturday, March 28
• Time: 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT)
• Location: Golden 1 Center (Sacramento, CA)

South Carolina vs. Oklahoma: TV, streaming

• Stream: ESPN Unlimited

South Carolina starting lineup

Head coach: Dawn Staley

•  00 Ta’Niya Latson | G 5-8 –  Senior
•  5  Tessa Johnson | G 6-0 – Junior
•  8  Joyce Edwards | F 6-3 – Sophomore
• 11 Madina Okot | C 6-6 –  Senior
• 25 Raven Johnson | G 5-9 –  Senior

Oklahoma Sooners starting lineup

Head coach: Jennie Baranczyk

• 2 Aaliyah Chavez | G 5-10 – Freshman
• 3 Zya Vann | G 5-9 – Sophomore
• 6 Sahara Williams | F 5-11 – Junior
• 12 Payton Verhulst | G 6-1 –  Senior
• 15 Raegan Beers | C 6-4 – Senior

A’ja Wilson compliments Raven Johnson

South Carolina alum A’ja Wilson said senior guard Raven Johnson “doesn’t get talked about enough” during a recent interview with ESPN’s Sean Hurd.

“We’re talking about somebody that can count on her hand how many times she’s lost,” Wilson said. “To see her just weather storms – like when people would talk about her – she’s showing up the next season, like, heard you. That type of stuff is what really is amazing to me when it comes to Ray. I’m so grateful to watch her grow. I’m grateful to see her thrive.”

South Carolina takes the court

It’s almost showtime at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.

Who won South Carolina-Oklahoma regular season matchup?

South Carolina women’s basketball is out for revenge.

Oklahoma handed South Carolina its second loss of the season on Jan. 22, when freshman Aaliyah Chavez led the Sooners to a 94-82 overtime victory in Norman, Oklahoma. Chavez scored 15 of her game-high 26 points in overtime, including four 3-pointers to seal the Sooners third-ever win against an AP top 2 opponent.

South Carolina can get the last laugh on Saturday in the Sweet 16 round of the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament. The Gamecocks has surpassed the 100-point mark in the first two games of the tournament against No. 16 Southern and No. 9 USC. Joyce Edwards is averaging a near double-double, averaging 25 points and nine rebounds through two games. 

Meanwhile, Oklahoma blew out No. 13 Idaho 89-69 and survived a close 77-71 win over No. 5 Michigan State in the second round. Raegan Beers had 18 points and 14 rebounds in Oklahoma’s second-round win.

South Carolina Gamecocks roster

Oklahoma Sooners roster

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.

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CHICAGO – Dusty May’s youngest son wanted to keep playing basketball. Just like his dad once did.

Eli May had it all planned out. He was going to walk-on at South Florida, just like his eldest brother, Jack, did at Florida, and middle brother, Charlie, at UCF.

But then Michigan called two years ago. That’s when dad came up with another idea, similar to the one he plotted for himself 30 years earlier. Eli May could join his father’s new program as a student manager, just like Dusty May had given up his uniform at Division II Oakland City University to become a student manager under former coach Bob Knight at Indiana after one semester. 

“I didn’t necessarily want to take this path,” Eli May admitted earlier this week, and yet it now offers a fascinating glimpse into the mindset and demeanor his father employed to course-correct No. 1 seed Michigan so rapidly, with a chance to make the Final Four in his second season on the job with a win over No. 6 seed Tennessee in the Elite Eight on Sunday, March 29 at United Center. 

The student managers traveling with Michigan are among the only holdovers in the program from the previous regime. There are five of them in Chicago this week for the Midwest Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament in addition to Eli May, each of whom started under former Michigan coach Juwan Howard. Most of them hope this leads to a career in basketball just as it did for Dusty May.

They arrive at practice and workouts before all the players, and rebound for them at whatever hour of the day they want to get shots up. They cut up game film for coaches and jump in with the scout team during practice. They keep stats and track opponents’ play calls during games. They also pick up towels and trash, drive coaches to the airport, make lunch runs and photocopies, and perform any other odd task that needs to be done around the program. 

None of them get paid, and yet no Division-I basketball team can run without them. This is what Dusty May had in mind when he suggested Eli think about joining the family in Ann Arbor rather than go to USF. 

“It’s obviously tough to give up playing the game and being on a team wearing a jersey,” Dusty May told USA TODAY Sports. “But I just thought as far as his long-term development, all the things our managers learn, problem-solving, they learn people skills. They learn to function. We try to give them a lot of responsibility because we know if they’re ever going to make it in coaching … they have to have the experience of doing meaningful work. Our managers have helped him become much more responsible.”

Those managers were also a little skeptical at first, still reeling from a tumultuous final season under Howard in which Michigan stumbled to one of the worst records in program history (8-24).

They are used to the coach’s son being around. Howard’s sons played for Michigan. Charlie May, meanwhile, became a walk-on at Michigan when his father was hired. The son of Michigan women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico is also a graduate assistant for the men’s team this year.

Eli May, now a sophomore, arrived on campus the summer before the 2024-25 season when there weren’t many student managers around to help the players. He had no idea what he was doing and none of the other student managers talked to him much at first, unsure how to approach the coach’s son who wasn’t a player. He eventually won them over, partly because he had no choice. 

“Once you commit to something in our family,” Charlie May explained, “it’s go deal with it.”

“I’m technically in charge of him and he never complains,” student manager Sam Saraceno said. “Eli is doing grunt work a lot of people wouldn’t do. That’s how you could tell it was different.”

The student managers weren’t treated poorly before Dusty May came to Michigan, they all emphasized. They just feel seen more because May used to be one of them. 

They notice how he still picks up trash from the floor around the practice facility, and lugs water jugs back to the supply closet after practice. They relish when the 5-10 May spots student manager Ryan Levine six points in 1-on-1 games and proceeds to take him into the post for bucket after bucket. They value being included.

“If you were to ask any of us why we do this, the main answer that would come through is the love for the game and the want to be part of something bigger than ourselves,” student manager Cameron Gordon said. “You don’t become a student manager if you don’t have those developments, so while (May) is not a student manager anymore, that’s very authentically who he is and you see it in little things he’s said to us.”

But for the longest time, May didn’t want his youngest son to pursue coaching. He’d always be pitching ideas, Eli said. Become an athletic director, or a front office type, or even a ref. Anything but the grind May put his family through rising up the coaching ladder.

So when May first approached Eli about being a student manager two years ago, he also mentioned perhaps there would be an opportunity to join the program as a walk-on once Charlie moved on. It was the carrot that convinced Eli to give it a try.

But just like dad, he might never put on another jersey again.

“I’d seen the managers from the outside, but I’d never been inside a program and seen it. What they’ve learned, how they go about their business, it made me want to be a manager more than anything,” Eli May said. “I feel like it’s a much better path to becoming a coach eventually.”